US20210206102A1 - Controlled cooling for print heads - Google Patents
Controlled cooling for print heads Download PDFInfo
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- US20210206102A1 US20210206102A1 US16/075,443 US201716075443A US2021206102A1 US 20210206102 A1 US20210206102 A1 US 20210206102A1 US 201716075443 A US201716075443 A US 201716075443A US 2021206102 A1 US2021206102 A1 US 2021206102A1
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Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C64/10—Processes of additive manufacturing
- B29C64/106—Processes of additive manufacturing using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B29C64/112—Processes of additive manufacturing using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C64/30—Auxiliary operations or equipment
- B29C64/364—Conditioning of environment
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C64/10—Processes of additive manufacturing
- B29C64/165—Processes of additive manufacturing using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C64/20—Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B29C64/205—Means for applying layers
- B29C64/209—Heads; Nozzles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C64/00—Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C64/30—Auxiliary operations or equipment
- B29C64/386—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
- B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B33Y10/00—Processes of additive manufacturing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
- B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B33Y30/00—Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
- B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B33Y50/00—Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C35/00—Heating, cooling or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanising; Apparatus therefor
- B29C35/16—Cooling
- B29C2035/1658—Cooling using gas
- B29C2035/1666—Cooling using gas dried air
Definitions
- Electronic devices may include cooling systems to maintain a desired operation temperature.
- a cooling system may include passive devices, such as a finned heat exchanger, or may include active devices, such as a fan.
- the cooling specifications for an electronic device establish the types and capacities of the cooling devices used in the cooling system.
- FIG. 1 shows a front schematic view of an electronic device having a cooling system in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 2 shows a perspective partial cut-away view of the pen carriage of FIG. 1 in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 3 shows a perspective bottom view of the pen carriage of FIG. 2 in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional end view of the print heads mounted on the indexing sled of FIG. 2 in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 5 shows a control system for the cooling system of FIG. 2 in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for a method of operating the cooling system of FIG. 2 using the control system of FIG. 5 in accordance with various examples
- FIG. 7 shows a flow chart for a method of cooling a print head in accordance with various examples.
- FIG. 8 is a continuation of the schematic block diagram of FIG. 7 in accordance with various examples.
- the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .”
- the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to be broad enough to encompass both indirect and direct connections. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via other devices, components, and connections.
- axial and axially generally refer to positions along or parallel to a central or longitudinal axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “lateral” and “laterally” generally refer to positions located or spaced to the side of the central or longitudinal axis.
- the word “or” is used in an inclusive manner.
- “A or B” means any of the following: “A” alone, “B” alone, or both “A” and “B.”
- the word “or” is used in an inclusive manner.
- “A or B” means any of the following: “A” alone, “B” alone, or both “A” and “B.”
- the word “generally” or “substantially” means within a range of plus or minus 20%, inclusive, of the stated value.
- the 3D printer may include a feed mechanism, a print head that comprises nozzles, a platform disposed below the print head, a cooling system to cool the print head and associated nozzles, and a heating element.
- the feed mechanism holds a build material (e.g., a bulk material such as a powdered structural material, such as a polymer or metal) and distributes a layer of the build material on the platform.
- the printer head sprays a fusing agent with the nozzle(s) in a selected pattern across the layer of the build material previously distributed on the platform.
- the printer head is mounted within a carriage, and moves with the carriage relative to the platform.
- the carriage and print head mounted thereto move right and left along a first axis, and forward and backward along a second axis oriented perpendicular to the first axis to distribute or print the fusing agent on the layer of the build material at the desired locations.
- the heating element e.g., a lamp
- the heating element may be a lamp that moves relative to the platform, providing radiant heat, and the movement of the heating element may be synchronized with the movement of the carriage.
- the cooling system circulates air across the print head to keep it cool and prevent excessive heating, which may cause damage to the print head, for example.
- the cooling system reduces the potential for unwanted substances, such as dust, to enter the carriage.
- the cooling system includes an air source to deliver a variable flow rate of the air to the print head within the carriage, a pressure sensor disposed within the carriage, and a controller to control the flow rate of the air. Using data from the pressure sensor, the controller maintains a first zone within the carriage at a positive pressure with respect to a second zone outside the carriage.
- the cooling system provides a closed-loop control of air flow to maintain a positive pressure within the carriage enclosure.
- the air source is a fan
- the controller receives pressure data from pressure sensor
- the controller adjusts the speed of the fan in response to the pressure data.
- the cooling system may include an air duct to receive air from the fan and deliver the air to the carriage.
- the fan and air duct may move with the carriage and print head.
- the cooling system may also include a second fan coupled to an exit duct or an exit port to pull air from the carriage. The second fan may also be controlled by the controller.
- electronic device 100 includes a housing 102 for which a coordinate system may be defined by an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis.
- a coordinate system may be defined by an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis.
- the three axes are orthogonal with the x-axis extending lengthwise (left and right in FIG. 1 ), the y-axis extending widthwise (into and out of the page in FIG. 1 ), and the z-axis extending vertically (up and down in FIG. 1 ).
- Electronic device 100 includes a first print head 110 A, a second print head 110 B, a cooling system 112 mounted in a pen carriage 114 , and a control system 115 to operate cooling system 112 .
- Control system 115 includes a sensor group 120 , an actuator group 268 , and a processor sub-system 269 , communicatively-coupled by a wireless or wired connection 119 , which are incorporated into cooling system 112 .
- Sensor group 120 includes a sensor to measure a property or a parameter of a fluid in carriage 114 , and actuator group 268 may participate as an air source.
- Electronic device 100 also includes a material feed mechanism 116 to deposit sequential layers of build material on a vertically adjustable platform 126 , a heating element 118 , a guide bar 122 , a bin 124 , and a barrier wall 132 .
- Pen carriage 114 , feed mechanism 116 , and heating element 118 are slidingly mounted to guide bar 122 to move parallel to the x-axis across bin 124 and platform 126 .
- Pen carriage 114 , feed mechanism 116 , and heating element 118 may share a drive mechanism (not shown) or may each have a separate drive mechanism to move together or separately along bar 122 .
- Device 100 may include a pair of laterally spaced guide bars disposed on opposite sides of pen carriage 114 , feed mechanism 116 , and heating element 118 and extending parallel to the y-axis.
- pen carriage 114 , feed mechanism 116 , heating element 118 or combinations thereof are mounted to the pair of laterally spaced guide bars to move parallel to the y-axis perpendicular to the x-axis.
- Platform 126 is disposed in bin 124 and can be moved parallel to the z-axis within bin 124 by a lift mechanism 128 .
- lift mechanism 128 may move platform 126 vertically downward parallel to the z-axis in increments to allow platform 126 to receive sequential layers of build material and print agent.
- Lift mechanism 128 may move platform 126 vertically upward when preparing for the removal of a printed part or when preparing for a new print task.
- Bin 124 may be configured for customer-installation into housing 102 or removable from housing 102 to facilitate shipping, for replacement or repair, for removal of a printed part following a print operation, or for another reason.
- barrier wall 132 is horizontally oriented and includes an aperture 134 through which cooling system 112 extends.
- Wall 132 is designed such that aperture 134 may move back-and-forth parallel to the x-axis (right and left in FIG. 1 ) such that aperture 134 moves with pen carriage 114 .
- a plurality of volumetric zones may be defined for convenience. These zones may be useful for describing the locations or movement of components or air.
- the space between wall 132 and housing 102 opposite carriage 114 defines an air source zone 141 .
- the space within carriage 114 defines a carriage zone 142 .
- a work zone 143 is positioned within housing 102 below wall 132 and around carriage 114 . Thus, carriage 114 is located in work zone 143 along with feed mechanism 116 , heating element 118 , and bin 124 .
- An outside zone 144 is located outside of housing 102 .
- Pen carriage 114 is shown.
- barrier wall 132 is shown in phantom.
- the orientation of the coordinate system is the same as in FIG. 1 .
- Pen carriage 114 includes a housing 150 having a base plate 152 , a plurality of walls 154 , a cover 156 , and a tunnel 158 through which cooling system 112 extends.
- tunnel 158 is defined by four sides that extend through aperture 134 in barrier wall 132 .
- Tunnel 158 may be sealingly coupled to barrier wall 132 to reduce or prevent air flow therebetween.
- Carriage 114 also includes an indexing sled 160 mounted above an aperture 162 .
- Print heads 110 A, 110 B are mounted on top of sled 160 , extending through an aperture 164 .
- Sled 160 may slide parallel to the y-axis driven by an indexing motor 166 to adjust the position of print heads 110 A, 110 B with respect to carriage housing 150 , device housing 102 , or platform 126 , allowing greater control over the location print heads 110 A, 110 B spray a print agent on platform 126 .
- each print head 110 A, 110 B includes a body 170 extending from a first end 171 A to a second end 171 B and a nozzle portion 174 in which an array of nozzles 176 are disposed ( FIG. 3 ). As shown in FIG. 4 , first print head 110 A and second print head 110 B are mounted on indexing sled 160 and spaced above housing base plate 152 , thereby creating a channel or duct therebetween. Print head 110 A, 110 B may also be referred to as a print bar, a pen, or another name used in the industry.
- First print head 110 A is coupled to a source of a first print agent or agents that may include, without limitation, an ink of a first color, multiple inks having multiple colors, a fusing agent, a detailing agent, or combinations thereof.
- Second print head 110 B is coupled to a source of a second print agent or agents that may include, without limitation, an ink of a second color, multiple inks having multiple colors, a fusing agent, and a detailing agent.
- cooling system 112 includes an inlet fan 200 A, a first air conduit or duct 202 coupled to fan 200 A, a second air conduit or duct 220 coupled to the opposite end of inlet duct 202 , and an exhaust duct 250 coupled to an exhaust fan 200 B.
- Inlet duct 202 is fixably coupled to housing 150 , and thus, moves with housing 150 parallel to the x-axis.
- first duct 202 includes an inlet portion 204 , a neck portion 206 , a y-member or splitter 208 , and a pair of transition elbows 210 coupled at the two ends of splitter 208 (only one elbow 210 visible in FIG. 2 ).
- Fan 200 A and inlet portion 204 are located in air source zone 141 .
- Splitter 208 and elbows 210 extend through carriage zone 142 .
- Each elbow 210 extends to a horizontal discharge end 212 having an upward facing exit port 216 coupled to second duct 220 to deliver air to cool print heads 110 A, 110 B.
- Second air duct 220 is positioned between print heads 110 A, 110 B and indexing sled 160 .
- second duct 220 is formed, at least in part, by print heads 110 A, 110 B and indexing sled 160 for direct heat exchange between a supplied air flow and print heads 110 A, 110 B.
- Sled 160 may move back and forth parallel to the y-axis, along with print heads 110 A, 110 B to adjust the targeted locations for receiving print agent from the nozzles 176 .
- ducts 202 , 220 continue to be coupled to transfer air.
- a path for a supplied air flow extends from air source zone 141 , into fan 200 A and through inlet air duct 202 to splitter 208 , which divides the air flow into two separate air paths.
- Each air path of splitter 208 passes through a corresponding transition elbow 210 into a corresponding second air duct 220 alongside a print head 110 A, 110 B.
- the split air path continues through second duct 220 beneath or alongside the corresponding print head 110 A, 110 B and exits second duct 220 proximal second end 171 B of print head 110 A, 110 B and into zone 142 within carriage 114 .
- the air exiting the pair of second ducts 220 rejoins in zone 142 and ultimately exits carriage 114 through exhaust duct 250 , pulled by exhaust fan 200 B.
- Second duct 250 includes a splitter 252 and a neck portion 254 .
- Splitter 252 includes two inlet ports 253 in zone 142 within housing 150 . The passages extending from ports 253 merge along splitter 252 .
- the outlet end of splitter 252 is coupled to neck portion 254 , which extends through housing tunnel 158 and connects to fan 200 B at an exit end 255 .
- Fan 200 B draws air out from carriage zone 142 through duct 250 .
- exhaust fan 200 B is located to transfer air from carriage zone 142 to air source zone 141 , in some examples, fan 200 B is instead positioned to discharge air into work zone 143 .
- This arrangement may include having a port or duct 208 extending through housing cover 156 .
- inlet fan 200 A and exhaust fan 200 B are located in air source zone 141 and separated from work zone 143 .
- Duct 250 and fan 200 B are fixably coupled to housing 150 , and thus, move with housing 150 parallel to the x-axis.
- Outlet air duct 250 extends through tunnel 158 and fan 200 B draws air from carriage zone 142 and exhausts the air into zone 141 .
- control system 115 adjusts and controls the operation of cooling system 112 to cool the print heads 110 A, 110 B and to maintain a positive pressure within carriage zone 142 relative to work zone 143 .
- Control system 115 includes sensor group 120 , actuator group 268 , and processor sub-system 269 , communicatively-coupled by connection 119 .
- the actuator group 268 includes fans 200 A, 200 B.
- Sensor group 120 includes pressure sensor 262 A to measure a pressure inside the carriage zone 142 and a pressure sensor 262 B to measure a pressure inside work zone 143 .
- the fluid pressure measured by sensor 262 A may be the pressure of air around or contacting print heads 100 A, 100 B
- the fluid pressure measured by sensor 262 B may be the pressure of air around or contacting carriage 114 .
- pressure sensor 262 A is located within carriage zone 142 and includes a pressure port 263 A in fluid communication with carriage zone 142 .
- pressure sensor 262 B is located within work zone 143 and includes a pressure port 263 B in fluid communication with work zone 143 .
- Each pressure sensor 262 A, 262 B may be an absolute sensor, which measures and communicates absolute pressures.
- processor sub-system 269 includes a processor 270 and storage 272 .
- Processor 270 may be a general-purpose microprocessor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, or other device capable of executing instructions retrieved from a computer-readable storage medium.
- Processor architectures generally include execution units (e.g., fixed point, floating point, integer, etc.), storage (e.g., registers, memory, etc.), instruction decoding circuitry, peripherals (e.g., interrupt controllers, timers, direct memory access controllers, etc.), input/output systems (e.g., serial ports, parallel ports, etc.) and various other components and sub-systems.
- execution units e.g., fixed point, floating point, integer, etc.
- storage e.g., registers, memory, etc.
- instruction decoding circuitry e.g., peripherals, e.g., interrupt controllers, timers, direct memory access controllers, etc.
- input/output systems e.g., serial ports
- the storage 272 is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium suitable for storing instructions executable by the processor 270 .
- the storage 272 is also suitable for storing measurements received from the sensor group 120 , calculated results, or other data.
- the calculated results that may be stored in storage 272 may include, as examples, as a pressure, a differential pressure, a comparison value, or a comparison result.
- the storage 272 may include volatile storage such as random access memory, non-volatile storage (e.g., a hard drive, an optical storage device (e.g., CD or DVD), FLASH storage, read-only memory), or combinations thereof.
- the storage 272 includes an air flow control module 274 including instructions which, when executed, cause the processor 270 to perform the operations disclosed herein.
- the instructions included in the module 274 when executed, may cause the processor 270 to direct a fan 200 A, 200 B to turn on, turn off, or to change speed.
- the instructions included in the module 274 when executed, may cause processor 270 to perform the operations of a method 300 or a method 350 described in more detail below.
- Method 300 starts at block 302 and ends at block 322 .
- block 304 includes turning-on the inlet fan 200 A and exhaust fan 200 B.
- Fan 200 A may operate at a maximum speed for the particular model of fan, or it may operate at a selected, constant speed less than its maximum speed, as examples.
- Fan 200 B may be started at a selected speed less than its maximum speed.
- fan 200 B may have a DC motor and may be started using a pulse width modulation (PWM) of power less than 100%.
- PWM pulse width modulation
- the starting PWM of fan 200 B is selected from values ranging between 30% to 45% (inclusive).
- Block 306 provides a comparison protocol between a pressure measurement P 142 from carriage zone 142 and a pressure value or measurement P amb from an ambient zone.
- Work zone 143 is an example of an ambient zone.
- P amb may be the measured pressure in work zone 143 .
- Block 306 includes selecting a lower comparison value and upper comparison value for comparing to pressure P 142 to pressure P amb .
- the comparison values are pressure ratios compared with an absolute pressure ratio P 142 /P amb .
- the lower comparison value is greater than 1.00 and may be 1.04 for example, and the upper comparison value is greater than the lower comparison value and may be 1.06 for example.
- Block 307 includes printing a material layer including build material from feed mechanism 116 and print agent from print heads 110 A, 110 B.
- control system 115 creates or monitors a period event.
- Block 308 includes waiting for the periodic event to occur before proceeding.
- the periodic event is the completion of printing a layer of build material and print agent.
- Block 310 includes obtaining the pressure P 142 .
- pressure P 142 of zone 142 may be measured by pressure sensor 262 A at port 263 A.
- Block 311 includes obtaining the pressure P amb .
- pressure P amb may be measured by pressure sensor 262 B at port 263 B within zone 143 , or pressure P amb may be estimated from data held in storage 272 .
- Block 312 executes a pressure comparison using the pressures P 142 , P amb . In the example, if the pressure ratio P 142 /P amb is between the lower comparison value and the upper comparison value, the result of the pressure comparison is positive, and the operation proceeds to block 314 .
- a positive result of the pressure comparison means that pressure P 142 is within a targeted range.
- Block 314 includes keeping the speed of exhaust fan 200 B at is current value.
- pressure ratio P 142 /P amb is less than lower comparison value or greater than the upper comparison
- the operation goes to block 316 , which includes adjusting the speed of exhaust fan 200 B, raising or lowering it as appropriate.
- block 318 includes an inquiry of whether or not the print job is complete. If the print job is not complete, the process returns to block 307 to repeat the cycle. Once the process reaches block 318 and the print job is complete, the process is stopped at block 322 .
- the logic or machine-readable instructions for method 300 may be stored in and retrieved from air flow control module 274 ( FIG. 5 ) and may be executed by processor 270 .
- the parameters and data for method 300 may be retrieved from air flow control module 274 , may be provided by pressure sensor 262 A, or may be entered through a user interface device, in any combination.
- the printing of layers of build material and print agent in block 307 may be controlled by control system 320 or by another control system in electronic device 100 .
- a comparison of pressure and adjustment of exhaust fan speed, such as blocks 312 , 316 occur during or before the first usage of block 307 , printing a material layer.
- control system 115 may convert the measured value to an absolute pressure P 142 , P amb , respectively, based on another measurement of pressure or data held in storage 272 ( FIG. 5 ).
- the pressure comparison in FIG. 6 at blocks 306 , 312 of method 300 involve a ratio of absolute pressures, in some examples, the pressure comparison is based on a difference in pressures, which may be made with absolute or gauge pressure.
- pressure sensor 262 A is located in work zone 143 or another location, and pressure port 263 A is in fluid communication with carriage zone 142 .
- sensor 262 A is to measure a gauge pressure within carriage zone 142 , referenced to the pressure in work zone 143 , which is a differential pressure.
- pressure sensor 262 A includes a second pressure port in fluid communication with work zone 143 in addition to pressure port 263 A in fluid communication with carriage zone 142 , to measure a differential pressure between zones 142 , 143 .
- the comparison value or values of block 306 in FIG. 6 includes a pressure difference or a range of pressure differences, and the comparison performed in block 312 involves comparing a measured differential pressure between zones 142 , 143 against the comparison value(s).
- Method 350 for cooling a print head is shown.
- Method 350 may be implemented, for example, via cooling system 112 and control system 115 .
- method 350 includes delivering an inlet flow rate of air to a first zone within the carriage to cool the print head, as may be accomplished by activating fan 200 A, for example.
- method 300 includes measuring a pressure of the first zone.
- the first zone may be a carriage of zone 142 , having a pressure P 142 , which may be measured by sensor 262 A.
- Block 356 includes obtaining a pressure of a second zone outside the carriage.
- the second zone may be work zone 143 having a pressure P amb , which may be measured by sensor 262 B, or may be estimated from data held in storage 272 .
- Block 358 includes determining a pressure comparison between the first pressure and the second pressure. Examples include the pressure comparison explained in reference to FIG. 6 or another pressure comparison according to the examples herein.
- method 350 includes adjusting an exhaust flow rate of the air from the first zone based on the pressure comparison.
- An example is adjusting the speed, flow rate, or power of exhaust fan 200 B, according to the examples herein.
- method 352 may be continued at block 362 , which includes maintaining an inlet fan at a constant speed.
- the inlet fan may be fan 200 A.
- Block 364 includes sourcing the inlet flow rate from a third zone.
- the third zone may be air source zone 141 .
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Abstract
Description
- Electronic devices may include cooling systems to maintain a desired operation temperature. A cooling system may include passive devices, such as a finned heat exchanger, or may include active devices, such as a fan. The cooling specifications for an electronic device establish the types and capacities of the cooling devices used in the cooling system.
- Various examples are described below referring to the following figures:
-
FIG. 1 shows a front schematic view of an electronic device having a cooling system in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 2 shows a perspective partial cut-away view of the pen carriage ofFIG. 1 in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 3 shows a perspective bottom view of the pen carriage ofFIG. 2 in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional end view of the print heads mounted on the indexing sled ofFIG. 2 in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 5 shows a control system for the cooling system ofFIG. 2 in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for a method of operating the cooling system ofFIG. 2 using the control system ofFIG. 5 in accordance with various examples; -
FIG. 7 shows a flow chart for a method of cooling a print head in accordance with various examples; and -
FIG. 8 is a continuation of the schematic block diagram ofFIG. 7 in accordance with various examples. - In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to be broad enough to encompass both indirect and direct connections. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via other devices, components, and connections. In addition, as used herein, the terms “axial” and “axially” generally refer to positions along or parallel to a central or longitudinal axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “lateral” and “laterally” generally refer to positions located or spaced to the side of the central or longitudinal axis.
- As used herein, including in the claims, the word “or” is used in an inclusive manner. For example, “A or B” means any of the following: “A” alone, “B” alone, or both “A” and “B.” The word “or” is used in an inclusive manner. For example, “A or B” means any of the following: “A” alone, “B” alone, or both “A” and “B.” In addition, when used herein including the claims, the word “generally” or “substantially” means within a range of plus or minus 20%, inclusive, of the stated value.
- The concepts disclosed herein may be used to provide cooling to the print head and associated nozzle(s) of a three-dimensional (3D) printer. In general, the 3D printer may include a feed mechanism, a print head that comprises nozzles, a platform disposed below the print head, a cooling system to cool the print head and associated nozzles, and a heating element. The feed mechanism holds a build material (e.g., a bulk material such as a powdered structural material, such as a polymer or metal) and distributes a layer of the build material on the platform. The printer head sprays a fusing agent with the nozzle(s) in a selected pattern across the layer of the build material previously distributed on the platform. The printer head is mounted within a carriage, and moves with the carriage relative to the platform.
- During 3D printing operations, the carriage and print head mounted thereto, move right and left along a first axis, and forward and backward along a second axis oriented perpendicular to the first axis to distribute or print the fusing agent on the layer of the build material at the desired locations. The heating element (e.g., a lamp) applies thermal energy to the deposited build material to cause those portions on which the fusing agent has been printed to fuse, whereas portions on which no fusing agent has been printed will not heat sufficiently to fuse. The heating element may be a lamp that moves relative to the platform, providing radiant heat, and the movement of the heating element may be synchronized with the movement of the carriage.
- The cooling system circulates air across the print head to keep it cool and prevent excessive heating, which may cause damage to the print head, for example. In addition, the cooling system reduces the potential for unwanted substances, such as dust, to enter the carriage. In particular, the cooling system includes an air source to deliver a variable flow rate of the air to the print head within the carriage, a pressure sensor disposed within the carriage, and a controller to control the flow rate of the air. Using data from the pressure sensor, the controller maintains a first zone within the carriage at a positive pressure with respect to a second zone outside the carriage. Thus, the cooling system provides a closed-loop control of air flow to maintain a positive pressure within the carriage enclosure. In an example, the air source is a fan, the controller receives pressure data from pressure sensor, and the controller adjusts the speed of the fan in response to the pressure data. The cooling system may include an air duct to receive air from the fan and deliver the air to the carriage. The fan and air duct may move with the carriage and print head. The cooling system may also include a second fan coupled to an exit duct or an exit port to pull air from the carriage. The second fan may also be controlled by the controller.
- Referring now to
FIG. 1 , an exampleelectronic device 100 in accordance with the principles disclosed herein is shown. In this example,electronic device 100 includes ahousing 102 for which a coordinate system may be defined by an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis. In this example, the three axes are orthogonal with the x-axis extending lengthwise (left and right inFIG. 1 ), the y-axis extending widthwise (into and out of the page inFIG. 1 ), and the z-axis extending vertically (up and down inFIG. 1 ). -
Electronic device 100 includes afirst print head 110A, asecond print head 110B, acooling system 112 mounted in apen carriage 114, and acontrol system 115 to operatecooling system 112.Control system 115 includes asensor group 120, anactuator group 268, and aprocessor sub-system 269, communicatively-coupled by a wireless orwired connection 119, which are incorporated intocooling system 112.Sensor group 120 includes a sensor to measure a property or a parameter of a fluid incarriage 114, andactuator group 268 may participate as an air source. -
Electronic device 100 also includes amaterial feed mechanism 116 to deposit sequential layers of build material on a verticallyadjustable platform 126, aheating element 118, aguide bar 122, abin 124, and abarrier wall 132.Pen carriage 114,feed mechanism 116, andheating element 118 are slidingly mounted to guidebar 122 to move parallel to the x-axis acrossbin 124 andplatform 126.Pen carriage 114,feed mechanism 116, andheating element 118 may share a drive mechanism (not shown) or may each have a separate drive mechanism to move together or separately alongbar 122.Device 100 may include a pair of laterally spaced guide bars disposed on opposite sides ofpen carriage 114,feed mechanism 116, andheating element 118 and extending parallel to the y-axis. In some examples,pen carriage 114,feed mechanism 116,heating element 118 or combinations thereof are mounted to the pair of laterally spaced guide bars to move parallel to the y-axis perpendicular to the x-axis. -
Platform 126 is disposed inbin 124 and can be moved parallel to the z-axis withinbin 124 by alift mechanism 128. Thus,lift mechanism 128 may moveplatform 126 vertically downward parallel to the z-axis in increments to allowplatform 126 to receive sequential layers of build material and print agent.Lift mechanism 128 may moveplatform 126 vertically upward when preparing for the removal of a printed part or when preparing for a new print task. Bin 124 may be configured for customer-installation intohousing 102 or removable fromhousing 102 to facilitate shipping, for replacement or repair, for removal of a printed part following a print operation, or for another reason. - Referring still to
FIG. 1 ,barrier wall 132 is horizontally oriented and includes anaperture 134 through whichcooling system 112 extends.Wall 132 is designed such thataperture 134 may move back-and-forth parallel to the x-axis (right and left inFIG. 1 ) such thataperture 134 moves withpen carriage 114. Withinhousing 102, a plurality of volumetric zones may be defined for convenience. These zones may be useful for describing the locations or movement of components or air. The space betweenwall 132 andhousing 102opposite carriage 114 defines anair source zone 141. The space withincarriage 114 defines acarriage zone 142. Awork zone 143 is positioned withinhousing 102 belowwall 132 and aroundcarriage 114. Thus,carriage 114 is located inwork zone 143 along withfeed mechanism 116,heating element 118, andbin 124. Anoutside zone 144 is located outside ofhousing 102. - Referring now to
FIGS. 2 and 3 ,pen carriage 114 is shown. InFIG. 2 ,barrier wall 132 is shown in phantom. The orientation of the coordinate system is the same as inFIG. 1 .Pen carriage 114 includes ahousing 150 having abase plate 152, a plurality ofwalls 154, acover 156, and atunnel 158 through whichcooling system 112 extends. InFIG. 1 ,tunnel 158 is defined by four sides that extend throughaperture 134 inbarrier wall 132.Tunnel 158 may be sealingly coupled tobarrier wall 132 to reduce or prevent air flow therebetween.Carriage 114 also includes anindexing sled 160 mounted above anaperture 162. Print heads 110A, 110B are mounted on top ofsled 160, extending through anaperture 164.Sled 160 may slide parallel to the y-axis driven by anindexing motor 166 to adjust the position ofprint heads carriage housing 150,device housing 102, orplatform 126, allowing greater control over thelocation print heads platform 126. - Referring now to
FIGS. 2-4 , eachprint head body 170 extending from afirst end 171A to asecond end 171B and anozzle portion 174 in which an array ofnozzles 176 are disposed (FIG. 3 ). As shown inFIG. 4 ,first print head 110A andsecond print head 110B are mounted onindexing sled 160 and spaced abovehousing base plate 152, thereby creating a channel or duct therebetween.Print head -
First print head 110A is coupled to a source of a first print agent or agents that may include, without limitation, an ink of a first color, multiple inks having multiple colors, a fusing agent, a detailing agent, or combinations thereof.Second print head 110B is coupled to a source of a second print agent or agents that may include, without limitation, an ink of a second color, multiple inks having multiple colors, a fusing agent, and a detailing agent. - Referring again to
FIG. 2 ,cooling system 112 includes aninlet fan 200A, a first air conduit orduct 202 coupled tofan 200A, a second air conduit orduct 220 coupled to the opposite end ofinlet duct 202, and anexhaust duct 250 coupled to anexhaust fan 200B.Inlet duct 202 is fixably coupled tohousing 150, and thus, moves withhousing 150 parallel to the x-axis. Moving fromfan 200A tosecond duct 220,first duct 202 includes aninlet portion 204, aneck portion 206, a y-member orsplitter 208, and a pair oftransition elbows 210 coupled at the two ends of splitter 208 (only oneelbow 210 visible inFIG. 2 ).Fan 200A andinlet portion 204 are located inair source zone 141.Splitter 208 andelbows 210 extend throughcarriage zone 142. Eachelbow 210 extends to ahorizontal discharge end 212 having an upwardfacing exit port 216 coupled tosecond duct 220 to deliver air tocool print heads -
Second air duct 220 is positioned betweenprint heads indexing sled 160. In this example, and as shown inFIG. 4 ,second duct 220 is formed, at least in part, byprint heads indexing sled 160 for direct heat exchange between a supplied air flow andprint heads Sled 160 may move back and forth parallel to the y-axis, along withprint heads nozzles 176. During this movement,ducts - Referring now to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , a path for a supplied air flow extends fromair source zone 141, intofan 200A and throughinlet air duct 202 tosplitter 208, which divides the air flow into two separate air paths. Each air path ofsplitter 208 passes through acorresponding transition elbow 210 into a correspondingsecond air duct 220 alongside aprint head second duct 220 beneath or alongside thecorresponding print head second duct 220 proximalsecond end 171B ofprint head zone 142 withincarriage 114. The air exiting the pair of second ducts 220 (one for eachprint head zone 142 and ultimately exitscarriage 114 throughexhaust duct 250, pulled byexhaust fan 200B. -
Second duct 250 includes asplitter 252 and aneck portion 254.Splitter 252 includes twoinlet ports 253 inzone 142 withinhousing 150. The passages extending fromports 253 merge alongsplitter 252. The outlet end ofsplitter 252 is coupled toneck portion 254, which extends throughhousing tunnel 158 and connects to fan 200B at anexit end 255.Fan 200B draws air out fromcarriage zone 142 throughduct 250. - Although
exhaust fan 200B is located to transfer air fromcarriage zone 142 toair source zone 141, in some examples,fan 200B is instead positioned to discharge air intowork zone 143. This arrangement may include having a port orduct 208 extending throughhousing cover 156. - In
FIG. 2 ,inlet fan 200A andexhaust fan 200B are located inair source zone 141 and separated fromwork zone 143.Duct 250 andfan 200B are fixably coupled tohousing 150, and thus, move withhousing 150 parallel to the x-axis.Outlet air duct 250 extends throughtunnel 158 andfan 200B draws air fromcarriage zone 142 and exhausts the air intozone 141. - Referring now to
FIG. 5 , a schematic ofcontrol system 115 is shown. As described below,control system 115 adjusts and controls the operation ofcooling system 112 to cool the print heads 110A, 110B and to maintain a positive pressure withincarriage zone 142 relative to workzone 143.Control system 115 includessensor group 120,actuator group 268, andprocessor sub-system 269, communicatively-coupled byconnection 119. - The
actuator group 268 includesfans Sensor group 120 includespressure sensor 262A to measure a pressure inside thecarriage zone 142 and apressure sensor 262B to measure a pressure insidework zone 143. As examples, the fluid pressure measured bysensor 262A may be the pressure of air around or contacting print heads 100A, 100B, and the fluid pressure measured bysensor 262B may be the pressure of air around or contactingcarriage 114. InFIG. 2 ,pressure sensor 262A is located withincarriage zone 142 and includes apressure port 263A in fluid communication withcarriage zone 142. InFIG. 2 ,pressure sensor 262B is located withinwork zone 143 and includes apressure port 263B in fluid communication withwork zone 143. Eachpressure sensor - Referring again to
FIG. 5 ,processor sub-system 269 includes aprocessor 270 andstorage 272.Processor 270 may be a general-purpose microprocessor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, or other device capable of executing instructions retrieved from a computer-readable storage medium. Processor architectures generally include execution units (e.g., fixed point, floating point, integer, etc.), storage (e.g., registers, memory, etc.), instruction decoding circuitry, peripherals (e.g., interrupt controllers, timers, direct memory access controllers, etc.), input/output systems (e.g., serial ports, parallel ports, etc.) and various other components and sub-systems. In the present disclosure, any reference to a function performed by machine-readable instructions, or to machine-readable instructions performing a function is a shorthand manner for stating that the function is performed by a processor executing the instructions. - The
storage 272 is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium suitable for storing instructions executable by theprocessor 270. Thestorage 272 is also suitable for storing measurements received from thesensor group 120, calculated results, or other data. The calculated results that may be stored instorage 272 may include, as examples, as a pressure, a differential pressure, a comparison value, or a comparison result. Thestorage 272 may include volatile storage such as random access memory, non-volatile storage (e.g., a hard drive, an optical storage device (e.g., CD or DVD), FLASH storage, read-only memory), or combinations thereof. - The
storage 272 includes an air flow control module 274 including instructions which, when executed, cause theprocessor 270 to perform the operations disclosed herein. For example, the instructions included in the module 274, when executed, may cause theprocessor 270 to direct afan processor 270 to perform the operations of amethod 300 or amethod 350 described in more detail below. - Referring now to
FIG. 6 , amethod 300 for operatingcooling system 112 withcontrol system 115 is shown.Method 300 starts atblock 302 and ends atblock 322. Followingblock 302, block 304 includes turning-on theinlet fan 200A andexhaust fan 200B.Fan 200A may operate at a maximum speed for the particular model of fan, or it may operate at a selected, constant speed less than its maximum speed, as examples.Fan 200B may be started at a selected speed less than its maximum speed. For example,fan 200B may have a DC motor and may be started using a pulse width modulation (PWM) of power less than 100%. In an example, the starting PWM offan 200B is selected from values ranging between 30% to 45% (inclusive). -
Block 306 provides a comparison protocol between a pressure measurement P142 fromcarriage zone 142 and a pressure value or measurement Pamb from an ambient zone.Work zone 143 is an example of an ambient zone. Thus, Pamb may be the measured pressure inwork zone 143.Block 306 includes selecting a lower comparison value and upper comparison value for comparing to pressure P142 to pressure Pamb. In the example, the comparison values are pressure ratios compared with an absolute pressure ratio P142/Pamb. The lower comparison value is greater than 1.00 and may be 1.04 for example, and the upper comparison value is greater than the lower comparison value and may be 1.06 for example. -
Block 307 includes printing a material layer including build material fromfeed mechanism 116 and print agent fromprint heads method 300 and to avoid rapid cycling ofmethod 300,control system 115 creates or monitors a period event.Block 308 includes waiting for the periodic event to occur before proceeding. In the example, the periodic event is the completion of printing a layer of build material and print agent. -
Block 310 includes obtaining the pressure P142. For example, pressure P142 ofzone 142 may be measured bypressure sensor 262A atport 263A.Block 311 includes obtaining the pressure Pamb. For example, pressure Pamb may be measured bypressure sensor 262B atport 263B withinzone 143, or pressure Pamb may be estimated from data held instorage 272.Block 312 executes a pressure comparison using the pressures P142, Pamb. In the example, if the pressure ratio P142/Pamb is between the lower comparison value and the upper comparison value, the result of the pressure comparison is positive, and the operation proceeds to block 314. A positive result of the pressure comparison means that pressure P142 is within a targeted range.Block 314 includes keeping the speed ofexhaust fan 200B at is current value. - If instead, pressure ratio P142/Pamb is less than lower comparison value or greater than the upper comparison, then the operation goes to block 316, which includes adjusting the speed of
exhaust fan 200B, raising or lowering it as appropriate. Following either block 314, 316, the process proceeds to block 318, which includes an inquiry of whether or not the print job is complete. If the print job is not complete, the process returns to block 307 to repeat the cycle. Once the process reaches block 318 and the print job is complete, the process is stopped atblock 322. - The logic or machine-readable instructions for
method 300 may be stored in and retrieved from air flow control module 274 (FIG. 5 ) and may be executed byprocessor 270. Without limitation, the parameters and data formethod 300 may be retrieved from air flow control module 274, may be provided bypressure sensor 262A, or may be entered through a user interface device, in any combination. The printing of layers of build material and print agent inblock 307 may be controlled by control system 320 or by another control system inelectronic device 100. In some examples ofmethod 300, a comparison of pressure and adjustment of exhaust fan speed, such asblocks block 307, printing a material layer. - Referring again to
method 300 inFIG. 6 , if apressure sensor control system 115 may convert the measured value to an absolute pressure P142, Pamb, respectively, based on another measurement of pressure or data held in storage 272 (FIG. 5 ). - Although the pressure comparison in
FIG. 6 atblocks method 300 involve a ratio of absolute pressures, in some examples, the pressure comparison is based on a difference in pressures, which may be made with absolute or gauge pressure. - Considering again to
FIG. 1 andFIG. 2 , in some examples,pressure sensor 262A is located inwork zone 143 or another location, andpressure port 263A is in fluid communication withcarriage zone 142. In some examples,sensor 262A is to measure a gauge pressure withincarriage zone 142, referenced to the pressure inwork zone 143, which is a differential pressure. In some examples,pressure sensor 262A includes a second pressure port in fluid communication withwork zone 143 in addition topressure port 263A in fluid communication withcarriage zone 142, to measure a differential pressure betweenzones block 306 inFIG. 6 includes a pressure difference or a range of pressure differences, and the comparison performed inblock 312 involves comparing a measured differential pressure betweenzones - Referring now to
FIG. 7 , amethod 350 for cooling a print head is shown.Method 350 may be implemented, for example, viacooling system 112 andcontrol system 115. Beginning atblock 352 inFIG. 5 ,method 350 includes delivering an inlet flow rate of air to a first zone within the carriage to cool the print head, as may be accomplished by activatingfan 200A, for example. Atblock 354,method 300 includes measuring a pressure of the first zone. For example, the first zone may be a carriage ofzone 142, having a pressure P142, which may be measured bysensor 262A.Block 356 includes obtaining a pressure of a second zone outside the carriage. As examples, the second zone may bework zone 143 having a pressure Pamb, which may be measured bysensor 262B, or may be estimated from data held instorage 272.Block 358 includes determining a pressure comparison between the first pressure and the second pressure. Examples include the pressure comparison explained in reference toFIG. 6 or another pressure comparison according to the examples herein. - Referring still to
FIG. 7 , atblock 360method 350 includes adjusting an exhaust flow rate of the air from the first zone based on the pressure comparison. An example is adjusting the speed, flow rate, or power ofexhaust fan 200B, according to the examples herein. - Referring now to
FIG. 8 ,method 352 may be continued atblock 362, which includes maintaining an inlet fan at a constant speed. The inlet fan may befan 200A.Block 364 includes sourcing the inlet flow rate from a third zone. The third zone may beair source zone 141. - The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various examples of the present disclosure. Numerous variations and modifications to the examples described above are possible. The following claims should be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications. For example, although various examples of the electronic devices disclosed were 3D printer, the cooling systems disclosed herein may be implemented in other types of printers or other types of electronic devices.
Claims (15)
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US20230105996A1 (en) * | 2021-10-01 | 2023-04-06 | The Boeing Company | Methods of configuring additive-manufacturing machines |
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WO2021081320A1 (en) * | 2019-10-25 | 2021-04-29 | Evolve Additive Solutions, Inc. | Cooling apparatus and method for additive manufacture |
US20230147886A1 (en) * | 2020-03-20 | 2023-05-11 | Agency For Science, Technology And Research | Additive Manufacturing System for Three-Dimensional Printing |
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EP3658354A1 (en) | 2020-06-03 |
US11801639B2 (en) | 2023-10-31 |
EP3658354A4 (en) | 2021-03-03 |
CN110944825A (en) | 2020-03-31 |
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